Early Bullseye Smokeless Powder

This may change your mind...or may not!

https://www.castpics.net/subsite2/GeneralReference/L&R-Smokeless.pdf

By Klaus Neuschaefer 

In accordance with the magazine information of when the "New" Bullseye was available, the dates make sense with the exception that the "New Powder" mention that was printed in the magazine during the end of 1901. If true, there was a lot going on with those floor sweepings!

1898

L&R Bullseye was introduced in 1898 to replace Revolver Smokeless. This is one of those powders that had several types. There were two versions of Bullseye, the first of which was known as Bullseye #1 or “dust” Bullseye. Two different sources refer to this being the “sweepings” or screenings left over from the manufacture of Infallible, with very fine irregular triangular or diamond shaped grains.1 Close examination of two samples indicate that it was half moon kernels created similarly to Infallible but cut so thin as to create incomplete rounds.

1901/1902 (magazine news)

The Laflin & Rand Powder Company has just perfected a new powder which will shortly be placed on the market, and which will be known as the Laflin & Rand Bullseye Smokeless powder. It is black in color, and intended for revolver shooting. Tests of this powder show it has remarkable cleanliness and gives very accurate results. The powder is of the dense class . It gives very fine results in the .44 [I assume 44 Colt] and .38 caliber revolvers, and works well in the Colt automatic, the Mauser and the Luger pistols . On Saturday last a trial of this powder was made at Greenville, and Dr. R. H. Sayre was given twelve cartridges, two of which he used for sighting shots . The remaining ten he fired a score in the club con test . The shooting was at 50 yards on the Standard target, and his score was 96 out of a possible 100, the highest 10 - shot score he has ever fired at that range. Inspector Ed. Taylor is confident that this powder will give universal satisfaction to revolver shooters. 

1904

L&R Bullseye #2 was supposed to have been brought out in 1904 as small round black discs .038” dia. X .003”, ostensibly because there were insufficient quantities of #1 to meet demand. See further discussion under “Suspicions”. It contained 40% NG. Four grains of Bullseye was the normal load for the .45 (long) Colt revolver. This Bullseye #2 is what we identify today as Bullseye, and this author believes that it has not changed formula since its introduction in 1898. It went to DuPont in 1907 and to Hercules in 1912. Bullseye, Unique, and Infallible were all made from the same formula, the only difference being granulation.2 It is still manufactured by Alliant in 2007.

1907 - Dupont

1912 - Hercules

2007 - Alliant

Suspicions: 

Bullseye cannot ever have been the fines left over from the manufacture of Infallible, as alleged by Sharpe,1 because it was always an extruded (pressed) powder and never cut from sheets. This method of manufacture would not leave the triangular or diamond shaped “fines” as is described. Furthermore, because Infallible was cut or sliced from long strands of powder, it generates very little in the way of “fines” in any case, and any out sized granules produced would mostly be longer or larger than Infallible, not smaller. Finally, uncontrolled very fine powder as is described would be extraordinarily fast burning and very prone to detonation. That would be very hard on the firearm and ultimately the shooter. 

Further Notes on Bullseye #1 and #2

An L&R Revolver Smokeless tin was acquired with a Bullseye label pasted on the back, in which a small quantity of powder remained, looking like small half-moons and crumbs, mixed with brown dust (deteriorated). Another L&R Bullseye tin was acquired, (nearly full!) the contents of which are also little half-moons that if full round would measure about 0.06”. This powder appears to be un-deteriorated, and has a lot number on the bottom of the tin (460?7). Since this tin seems to have a lot number on the bottom, unlike any of the other L&R tins, it is assumed that it was made after 1902, and acquisition by DuPont. Enhanced Suspicion: Bullseye #1 may have been made with the same die as Infallible, but set to cut as fine as possible, not even giving full round cuts. The cuts are so thin that many of the granules are mangled into odd shapes. Bullseye #2, having been made with a smaller die and thicker with fully round cuts, for better consistency, probably after acquisition by DuPont, but before transfer to Hercules.